Golf putting practice device

ABSTRACT

There is provided a golf putting practice device comprising a green, a hole cut into the green and a guide passage from which a ball entered (holed) into the hole rolls out, in which the guide passage is provided with a detection unit for detecting that the ball is holed; the green is provided with a notifying unit for notifying the outside that the ball is holed, based on the detection by the detection unit; the notifying unit is a sound; the notifying unit is a voice of a famous pro golfer; the notifying unit appeals to a sense of one&#39;s sight; and the golf putting practice device further comprises: a counter function for counting a number of holed balls; and a slope angle changing function for changing a slope angle of the green; in which the notifying unit, a position of the hole, and a slope angle of the green can be changed by remote control, whereby, when the ball holes into the cup, there is a reaction of the notification that the ball is holed, and encouragement and support toward a practicer, to enable practice to continue for a long time without becoming boring with the result of improvement in one&#39;s skill in putting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a golf putting practice device.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] There have been conventionally known various kinds of golfputting practice devices. Typically, the golf putting practice devicehas a hole at an end of an elongated mat made of artificial turf, towhich an upward slope is applied, and a ball is hit from another end ofthe mat to hole it into the hole. When the hit ball enters the hole(drops in the cup or holes), the ball travels through a return passageto return to a person who hit the ball (travels toward a practicer). Ina case where the ball does not enter the hole, it travels on the mat toreturn to the person practicing.

[0005] In the conventional golf putting practice device, even when theball goes into the cup, there is no reaction such as a notification thatthe ball has been holed and encouragement or support toward thepracticer. Therefore, the conventional golf putting practice device isnot encouraging, and practice is boring, with the result that thepracticer does not continue the practice for a long time. Accordingly,it is not easy to improve one's skill in putting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a golf puttingpractice device, in which, when a ball goes into a cup, a voice ofencouragement or a sound of praise or the like occurs, to thereby makethe practice encouraging so that putting can be practiced patiently.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a golf putting practice device comprising a green 1, a hole 2cut into the green 1 and a guide passage 3 from which a ball that hasentered (has been dropped in the cup) into the hole rolls out, in whichthe guide passage 3 is provided with detection means 4 for detectingthat the ball has been holed; and in which the green 1 is provided withnotifying means 5 for notifying the outside that the ball has beenholed, based on the detection by the detection means 4.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in thefirst aspect of the invention, there is provided a golf putting practicedevice in which the notifying means 5 is a sound.

[0009] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in thefirst or second aspect of the invention, there is provided a golfputting practice device in which the notifying means 5 is a voice of afamous pro golfer.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in thefirst aspect of the present invention, there is provided a golf puttingpractice device in which the notifying means 5 appeals to a sense ofone's sight.

[0011] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any oneof the first to fourth aspects of the invention, there is provided agolf putting practice device further comprising a counter function 6 forcounting a number of holed balls.

[0012] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any oneof the first to fifth aspects of the invention, there is provided a golfputting practice device further comprising a slope angle changingfunction for changing a slope angle of the green 1.

[0013] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in anyone of the first to sixth aspects of the invention, there is provided agolf putting practice device in which switching of the notifying means 5between audio and visual, switching of lines when the notifying means isthe voice, changing of a position of the hole 2 and changing of a slopeangle of the green 1 can be performed by remote control.

[0014] According to the present invention, there is provided a golfputting practice device in which a rear end portion 30 of the green 1 isfolded back to have a circular shape, and a support body 33 that isdownwardly sloped toward the side of the hole 2 is arranged in theinside of the rear end portion, to thereby downwardly slope the rear endportion 30 toward the hole 2 side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In the accompanying drawings:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a golf puttingpractice device of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a detectionmeans;

[0018]FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of thedetection means;

[0019]FIG. 4A is a rear view showing an example of an end surface of abase;

[0020]FIG. 4B is a rear view showing another example of an end surfaceof the base;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a folded-back state of agreen end of the golf putting practice device of the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 6A is a side view showing a state in which an end portion ofa green is folded back toward the upper surface side;

[0023]FIG. 6B is a side view showing a state in which an end portion ofa green is folded back toward the lower surface side;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of a support bodyarranged in the folded-back portion in FIG. 5; and

[0025]FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a putting practice at thefolded-back portion in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a golf putting practice device ofthe present invention will be explained based on FIG. 1 through FIG. 4.In a putting practice device of a first embodiment, an artificial turfsurface material 11 is spread over a base 10 to make the material 11serve as a green 1, and a hole 2 is formed on a top part 12 of the green1. The surface material 11 may also be a material other than artificialturf.

[0027] A front side of the base 10 slopes upward, the top part 12 isparallel with a floor, a set hole 13 is created at the top part 12 and adownwardly sloped guide passage 3 is formed on a side of the set hole13. A bottom surface of the guide passage 3 is formed so as to slopedownwardly toward the outside. The set hole 13 is about 25 cm indiameter.

[0028] A receiving hole 14 having substantially the same size as the sethole 13 is created in the surface material 11 spread over the base 10,and a disc 15 covers the receiving hole 14. In the disc 15 is createdthe hole 2 having the same size as a cup on a green of a golf course,and, by rotating the disc 15, a position of the hole 2 shown by solidlines in FIG. 1 can be changed to optional positions shown by imaginarylines. A surface material 11 made of the same material (the artificialturf in FIG. 1) as the surface material 11 is spread over a top of around plate of the disc 15. The hole 2 is about 8 cm in diameter. Thedisc 15 can be rotated by hand, and can be rotated electrically. In acase where the disk 15 is rotated electrically, the disc 15 can berotated by a motor, for example.

[0029] Beyond (behind) the disc 15 and on the front of the side of thedisc 15 is formed a return passage 16, into which a ball that was hitbut did not enter (missed) the hole 2 falls and returns to the personwho hit the ball. An exit from the guide passage 3 is connected to thereturn passage 16, and a ball which enters the hole 2 and falls into theguide passage 3 comes to the return passage 16, which is sloped downwardtoward the front (toward the person hitting), so that the ball returnsautomatically to the person who hit the ball.

[0030] In the guide passage 3, there is formed a detection means 4 fordetecting a ball, which holes into a cup and then returns, as shown inFIG. 2, and a notifying means 5 is connected to the detection means 4.The detection means 4 is arranged midway through the guide passage 3 anddetects a state in which the ball is has been holed into the hole 2rolls through the guide passage 3, thus detecting that the ball has beenholed. The ball detection means 4 shown in FIG. 2 is a limit switch 30,which operates due to the ball, which rolls through the guide passage 3and pushes an arm 17 of the limit switch 30 as it passes through, thusdetecting that the ball has been holed. The detection means may beformed in other places than the guide passage. For example, the bottomsurface of the receiving hole 14 may be a censor to detect the ballholed when holed ball falls onto the bottom surface of the receivinghole 14.

[0031] As another example of the detection means 4, an optical sensormay also be used. In such a case, light from a light generator 18provided to one side of the inside of the guide passage 3 is received byan optical sensor 19, and when the light is temporarily blocked by theball passing through the guide passage 3, the optical sensor 19operates, thus detecting that the ball has been holed. In a case whereit is bright inside a room, the optical sensor 19 receives thebrightness (light) inside the room even when the light is not projectedfrom the light generator 18, and when this light is temporarily blockedby the ball passing through the guide passage 3, the optical sensor 19operates. Therefore, the light generator 18 is not necessarily needed.When the brightness inside the room does not provide enough light, thelight generator 18 can be used for assistance. In other words, in thiscase the light generator 18 functions as auxiliary light.

[0032] The notifying means 5 operates in association with the detectionmeans 4. When the detection means 4 detects the ball, the notifyingmeans 5 audially or visually notifies that the ball has been holed tothe person who hit the ball and a person watching the practice. Examplesof the notifying means 5 for making the notification audially includes aperson's voice, music and a buzzer. An example of the notifying means 5for making the notification visually includes an optical one. The voicemay be a famous pro golfer's or instructor's words of praise, or linesthat will encourage the person practicing, or the like. Examples of thewords of praise or lines include “Nice putt!”, “Nice in!”, “Youimproved!” etc. The sound is not limited to voice, and the sound may befreely chosen, such as a sound of fanfare, a voice of an animal and asound of a stream murmuring. The voices and sounds are stored in a voiceIC or other storage medium to be reproduced. Further, the notifyingmeans 5 may be a voice recorder attached with a microphone. In thiscase, not only the voice of the famous pro golfer, but also thepracticer's own voice or their favorite sounds can be recorded to bereproduced.

[0033] The notifying means 5 for making the notification visually may bea lamp, an image or the like, for example. The lamp may be a lamp whichis turned on continuously for a given duration of time each time theball is holed, or may be one which blinks or the like. In the case ofthe image, the face, playing scene and message of the famous pro golferor of a pro golfer whom the practicer admires appears, for example, andthe voice of that person can also be produced together with the image.It is possible for the notifying means 5 to utilize both the means formaking the notification audially and the means for making thenotification visually to use them simultaneously and also to use onlyone of them by switching. It is preferable that various kinds of wordsof praise and lines are prepared to be selected for use so that thepracticer does not get bored.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, power source switches, a speaker21, a battery accommodating portion open/close cover 22 and the like areprovided to an end surface 20 of the base 10. The one shown in FIG. 4Ais a type using an optical sensor as the detection means 4, and itcomprises an optical sensor power source switch 23, a light generatorpower source switch 24, the battery accommodating portion open/closecover 22 and the speaker 21. The one shown in FIG. 4B is a type usingthe limit switch 30 as the detection means 4, and it comprises a limitswitch power source switch 26, the battery accommodating portionopen/close cover 22 and the speaker 21. In the case where the notifyingmeans is a type for making the notification visually, a lamp, a compactliquid crystal screen or the like is raised up from the base 10 so thatthe person practicing can see it. The lamp, the compact liquid crystalscreen or the like is made in a rotatable fashion, and by standing it upat a time of use and laying it down along the base 10 at a time ofnon-use, thereby facilitating their storage with less damage.

[0035] A counter function 6 and a display apparatus are provided to thegolf putting practice device. The counter function 6 is made to operatein association with the detecting function 3, and each time thedetecting function 3 detects that the ball has been holed, count istaken by the counter function 6 and a counted number is displayed on thedisplay apparatus. It is preferable that the display apparatus is set upin a position where the displayed numerical value can be seen by thepracticer.

[0036] The golf putting practice device is provided with a slope anglechanging function 7, by which the slope of the upper surface of thegreen 1 can be adjusted. As an example of the slope angle changingfunction 7, supporting legs (for example, bolts) which are adjustable inlength (height), may be attached at optional several places on thesurface material 11 in the front of the base 10, and the height of thesesupporting legs may be adjusted individually to thereby change the slopeof the upper surface of the green 1, or to thereby change undulationalong the slope, and the like. The leg length adjustment may beperformed manually or automatically. In case of the automation, thedevice can be made compact by employing such a manner that thesupporting legs are rotated by means of the motor.

[0037] The switching of the notifying means 5 between audio and visual,the switching of the lines when the notifying means 5 is the voice, therotation of the disc 15 to change the position of the hole 2, thechanging of the slope angle of the green 1 and the like may also beperformed by a remote control.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 5, MAGIC BAND (a registered trademark) 31 isattached to an upper surface of a rear end portion 30 of the green 1.Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, the rear end portion 30 is folded backtoward the upper surface side of the green 1 to have a circular shape bymaking the MAGIC BAND 31 retained with MAGIC BAND 32 inside the green 1,a triangular support body 33 is inserted into the inside of the circularportion, and thus, the rear end portion 30 can be used with a downwardslope to the inner side. When the downward slope is provided asdescribed above, as shown in FIG. 8, a person can practice an exercisein which he/she hits a golf ball 35 using a golf club 34 such as apitching wedge or a sand wedge at its leading edge at a foot portion ofthe slope. Practicing the exercise is useful for a case of actualplaying in a golf course. Incidentally, in the case of actual playing ina golf course, there often occurs a case where the golf ball stops at afringe of the green so that a putter becomes difficult to be used, withthe result that a person has to hit the golf ball by using the golf clubsuch as the pitching wedge or the sand wedge at its leading edge.Practicing the exercise with the golf putting practice device accordingto the present invention in advance is very useful for such a case.

[0039] In the case where the rear end portion 30 is folded back as shownin FIG. 6A, the length of the folded-back end portion can be arbitrarilyselected, but, for example, 20 to 40 cm is appropriate. The support body33 has a side surface with a triangular wedge shape, and hassubstantially the same width as the green 1. The dimension of thesupport body 33 can be arbitrarily selected. However, for example, alength L of a bottom surface thereof is appropriately about 15 to 20 cm,and a height H thereof is appropriately about 7 cm. Foam resin and otherlight-weight materials are appropriate as the material of the supportbody 33.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 6B, the rear end portion 30 can also be foldedback to the lower surface side of the green. In this case, both theMAGIC BANDS 31 and 32 are attached to the lower surface of the green 1to be set capable of being retained with each other.

[0041] In the first aspect of the golf putting practice device of theapplication concerned, since the notifying means notifies the personpracticing putting that the hit ball has been holed, confirmation thatthe hit ball has been holed can be made by his/her ears or eyes. As aresult, an environment may be created in which the person practicingputting is encouraged in the practice and practices enthusiastically,whereby he/she does not get bored even in a long-time practice, which isthus helpful for improving his/her putting skill.

[0042] In the second aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, the notifying means is the sound. As a result, theperson practicing putting can focus on hitting the ball without thinkingabout whether or not the ball has been holed, whereby effects of thepractice can be expected.

[0043] In the third aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, since the notifying means is the voice of thefamous pro golfer, the following effects are produced in addition to theabove-mentioned effects.

[0044] (1) The person practicing putting feels as if he/she is playingwith the famous golfer together on the green, whereby he/she canpractice putting enjoyably.

[0045] (2) In the case where the voice for notifying that the ball hasbeen holed is the words of praise from the famous golfer, the words ofpraise give the person practicing putting confidence.

[0046] In the fourth aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, the notifying means 5 notifies to the sense ofone's sight, whereby the holing of the ball can be confirmed by theeyes. In this case, if the screen is made to display the image of thefamous golfer or the admired golfer, the practice becomes intense andeffects of the practice can be expected, and further, it becomespossible to practice putting even in the middle of the night withoutmaking noise.

[0047] In the fifth aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, the counter function for counting the number ofholed balls is provided, whereby, in addition to the above-mentionedeffects, an effect is obtained that the person practicing putting canconcentrate on putting without remembering the number of balls that havebeen holed and the practice of putting can be performed efficiently.

[0048] In the sixth aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, there is provided the slope angle changing functionfor changing the slope angle of the green. As a result, in addition tothe above-mentioned effects, there is an effect that putting practicessupposing the green in a variety of states can be conducted, and thereis another effect that a variety of putting practices can be conductedwithout making the putting practice get in a rut.

[0049] In the seventh aspect of the golf putting practice device of thepresent application, the switching of the notifying means between audioand visual, the changing of the position of the hole and the changing ofthe slope angle, the undulation and the like of the green can beperformed by the remote control. As a result, switching and changingbecome easy. Furthermore, since the state of the green can be changedinstantly while practicing, the practicer can concentrate and conduct avariety of practices without making the practice interrupted to changethe state of the green, whereby effects of the practice can be expected.

[0050] In the golf putting practice device of the present application,the rear end portion of the green is folded back to have the circularshape, and the support body that is downwardly sloped toward the side ofthe hole is arranged in the inside of the rear end portion, to therebydownwardly slope the rear end portion toward the hole side. As a result,the person can practice the exercise in which he/she hits the golf ballusing the golf club at its leading edge at the foot portion of theslope, and thus, can learn the putting form with the leading edge.

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf putting practice device comprising agreen; a hole created into the green; and a guide passage from which aball entered (holed) into the hole rolls out; detection means fordetecting that the ball is holed; and notifying means for notifying theoutside that the ball is holed, based on the detection by the detectionmeans
 2. A golf putting practice device comprising a green; a holecreated into the green; and a guide passage from which a ball entered(holed) into the hole rolls out, wherein the guide passage is providedwith detection means for detecting that the ball is holed; and there isprovided the notifying means for notifying the outside that the ball isholed, based on the detection by the detection means.
 3. A golf puttingpractice device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the notifyingmeans makes a sound.
 4. A golf putting practice device according to anyone of claim 1 to claim 3, wherein the notifying means is a voice of afamous pro golfer.
 5. A golf putting practice device according to claim1 or claim 2, wherein the notifying means appeals to a sense of one'ssight.
 6. A golf putting practice device according to any one of claim 1through claim 5, further comprising a counter function for counting anumber of holed balls.
 7. A golf putting practice device according toany one of claim 1 through claim 6, further comprising a slope anglechanging function for changing a slope angle of the green.
 8. A golfputting practice device according to any one of claim 1 through claim 7,wherein switching of the notifying means between audio and visual,switching of lines when the notifying means is the voice, changing of aposition of the hole and changing of a slope angle of the green can beperformed by remote control
 9. A golf putting practice device accordingto any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a rear end portion of the green isfolded back to have a circular shape, and a support body that isdownwardly sloped toward the side of the hole is arranged in the insideof the rear end portion, to thereby downwardly slope the rear endportion toward the hole side.